Know the distance

There are tonnes of different activities to do using poles, but getting the distances right is super-important. Incorrect distances could confuse your pony, knock your confidence or even cause injury.

Every gait has a different stride length, so whether you’re walking, trotting or cantering over poles, using them between fences or jumping a double, you’ll need to make sure you’ve set them up correctly.

Check out the table below for your distance guide…

Here are some of our top tips:

1. 1. Keep your pony’s stride length in mind. If he has a really short or really long stride, you’ll need to adjust the distance accordingly.
   2. If approaching poles in canter, make sure you’ve established a positive and forward rhythm first.
   3. If using poles between fences, make sure you adjust the distance as the fences are raised.
   4. Keep your polework exercises simple and build up slowly if your pony doesn’t have much experience.